Chicago Ridge Campaign Bitter

February 07, 1989|By Jerry Shnay.

Mary Macarol says Mayor Eugene Siegel is lying.

Siegel, in turn, says village clerk Macarol has ``gone off the deep end.``

Welcome to Chicago Ridge politics.

Siegel and Macarol, political allies for 14 years, are on opposite sides of a heated battle for political power in the southwest suburb. The war of words started on a low plane and apparently has degenerated from there.

When both were invited recently to debate on a local cable television outlet, Macarol said she would do so only if Siegel had a lie detector

``attached to his arm`` and with a polygraph expert on the scene. Siegel retorted that Macarol had issued a ``stupid statement.``

Later, Macarol said she had been harassed and intimidated by Siegel many times since the two became political allies in 1975. ``I think she`s gone off the deep end,`` Siegel said.

In a press release, Macarol said she would not take part in a televised mayoral debate because the three television networks lost viewers each time a debate was held during last year`s presidential race. The implication was that people weren`t interested in watching debates.

``I want to debate her,`` Siegel said. ``We`ll have our debate on television even if she is not there.``

Siegel is running on the Performance Party ticket along with clerk candidate Charles Tokar, incumbent trustee George Ryniak and trustee candidates Maureen Socha and James Saunoris.

Macarol, the village clerk for 24 years, heads the Village Interest Party. Running with her is Patricia Lyons for clerk and Alan Vales, Dennis Stang and Richard Melanson for trustee.

Siegel and Macarol became political partners after nine Chicago Ridge officials, including a village president, were indicted on extortion charges in 1975. All were found guilty and fined. Four of the nine also received jail terms.

Macarol was the only elected official in the suburb not to be indicted. Siegel was elected to fill out the unexpired term of the mayor and won election for his first four-year term in 1977.

``Yes, I backed the mayor then,`` Macarol said, ``but since then he has forgotten what he was elected for.``

``She has always wanted power,`` Siegel said. ``Many times she has overstepped (her) duties by acting on her own. The clerk functions at the will of the board, not the other way around.``

Macarol believes Chicago Ridge`s 14,500 residents are ready for a change. Among the planks in her platform are an ethics ordinance and a ceiling on contributions to an office holder by businesses in the community. She said restaurants and liquor stores in the area have contributed to Siegel`s campaign fund. Siegel is also the suburb`s liquor commissioner.

Siegel insisted he has never solicited such contributions, but acknowledged he does have a fundraiser each year. ``Everyone does that, and it`s always dinner and dancing, or maybe a golf outing someplace.`` And, yes, he said, some restaurants in the southwest suburbs paid $30 a ticket for this year`s gala.

Siegel, who works for state treasurer Jerome Cosentino by marketing an investment pool program to other communities, is paid $15,500 as the part-time mayor and $5,000 as the liquor commissioner.

Macarol, who received a $12,000 pay raise last year, is paid $36,000 as village clerk and if she wins she`ll have to take nearly a $15,000 pay cut.